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Canadian tennis star Genie Bouchard may have delayed her retirement by one extra match, but she wasn't able to get past the second round of the Canadian Open in front of her hometown fans. Bouchard left a professional WTA Tour court for the last time after falling 2-6, 6-3, 4-6 to World No. 17 Belinda Bencic in Montreal. But with Bouchard announcing the end of her career weeks earlier, she was seemingly at peace with the final outcome.
“It was such a special night and a special week in general here in Montreal,” Bouchard said post-match in an interview. “I'm glad I was able to play some decent tennis on the court and just absorb all the special emotional moments with the fans, with my family and friends who are here. It's just kind of a perfect ending for me.
“I've always had a feeling I would end my career here,” she added. “Just makes sense. Montreal is where I was born and raised, so it just feels right.”
Bouchard then went into further detail about her emotional state during such a pivotal moment of her life, fully embracing the outpouring of tributes she believes she deserves from fans.
“Yeah, just an emotional moment. I think I just wanted a moment like this because my career kind of deserved a moment like this, is what I felt like,” Bouchard elaborated. “I really think I got it tonight, and I'm so grateful for that.”
Eugenie Bouchard's emotional moment 🥲
On the verge of tears, Genie, in Montreal, her hometown, played the final match of her historic career, having became the first Canadian (male or female) to reach a GS final!
🥈 Wimbledon
5️⃣th in the worldpic.twitter.com/QPE4RXiDoY— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) July 31, 2025
The former World No. 5 ended a 17-year career that started on the ITF Circuit when she was just 14 years old. After playing her first WTA qualifying match in Montreal in 2008, she went on the nab the girls' singles title at Wimbledon by 2012.
Bouchard finally had her breakout moment years later in 2014, securing a singles title on a now-defunct tournament on clay in Nuremberg, Germany, and earning WTA Newcomer of the Year honors. She had the best year of her career that year, making it to the semifinals of the Australian and French Opens while becoming the first Canadian to play in a singles final at Wimbledon.
Genie Bouchard's impact on the popularity of tennis in Canada can't be overstated, as the Quebecois star was the first to land in the top five of the World rankings and helped her native Canada win the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023.
Despite dealing with struggles in her game and health since 2015, Bouchard has extended her reach off the court as well. The 31-year-old is an avid spokesperson for athletes' mental health after being open about her own difficulties, and she was part of a panel at the National Bank Open in 2024 that discussed the progress the tour has made in providing tennis players with the necessary support.
Bouchard may not be entirely done with tennis, however. She's gained media experience covering events for the Tennis Channel, and Bouchard made her professional debut on the pickleball court in 2024. She's also signed up to compete in this October's Luxembourg Ladies Tennis Masters invitational for WTA alumni, so fans can still get their fill of the Canadian standout.
